Adjustable reclining couch



N. FlDEL ADJUSTABLE RECLINING COUCH Feb. 1960- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1957 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. NELLIE'L FIDEL ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1960 N. FIDEL 2,925,854

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING COUCH Filed July 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet z AT TORNEY United States Patent ADJUSTABLE RECLINING COUCH Nellie Fidel, Great Neck, N.Y., a ssignor to Modecraft Company, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

Application July 29, 1957, Serial No. 674,712

1 Claim. (01. 155-116) This invention relates to an adjustable reclining couch ofgeneral applicability but particularly suitable for use in a beauty par-lor or like establishment.

The operations performed in beauty parlors and similar establishments include, among other things the washing, drying and setting of the hair. the hair washing operation, the customers headis placed in a special wash basin, particularly during raising of the hair. This requires a suitable seat or body support having a back whose top edge is at the general level of the basin, and which comfortably supports the body when the head is lowered to the basin level.

During the setting and drying operations, the customer is in an at least partially upright position with the head elevated beneath a drier. This requires a type of chair or couch support differing from the type required for the washing and rinsing operation.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel contoured couch is provided which is simply and easily adjusted to and locked in any position between one in which the users head is elevated substantially and one in which the body is substantially horizontal.

More particularly, the couch comprises a preferably tubular and light-weight metal supporting frame on which a contoured couch body is pivotally mounted for pivotal movement about a transverse axis intermediate the ends of the body. Novel releasable latch means are provided for holding the couch body in any adjusted position, remote operatingmeans being provided to readily release the latching means for adjustment of the couch body to a new position.

(FOI' an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of an adjustable contoured reclining couch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial bottom plan view of the couch illustrating the latch means and its operating mechanism;

Fig. 2A is an enlarged perspective view of part of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 2B is a section view illustrating the mechanism in a locked position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the couch comprises a preferably tubular and light-weight metal support frame and a contoured couch body 20. Frame 10 comprises a pair of side members having front legs 11, elevated intermediate portions 12, and rear legs 13. A cross brace 14 interconnects front legs 11. A U-shape brace 16 interconnects rear legs 13 and has arm portions 17 on which are arm rests 18.

Elevated sections 12 of frame 10 are interconnected intermediate their ends by a relatively elongated flat metal plate having ends bent up at right angles and curved downwardly, as at 19, to conformingly engage sections 12 to which these ends are bolted as at 21. Plate lice.

15 forms a support for body 12 and for part of the releasable latching means.

Couch body 20 includes a foot rest 22, a seat section 23, and a back section 24. A head rest 26 is adjustably mounted on back section 24. The couch body has a wooden frame including side rails interconnected at spaced intervals by transverse braces such as 27, 28 and 29.

Intermediate the ends of seat section 23, side rails 25 have secured to their inner surfaces metal plates 31 having bolts 32 projecting inwardly therefrom. These bolts extend through the vertical legs of angles secured to plate 15, spacers 33 being disposed on bolts 32 on either side of angles 30. Striker plates 34 are secured to the undersides of rails 25 just rearwardly of bolts 32. Bolts 32 form :a transverse pivoting for couch body 20 on frame 10. I

A substantial distance rearwardly of plate: 15, a pair of relatively elongated angles 36 are secured to the wooden base 35 of body 21} in longitudinally spaced, transversely extending relation. Between angles 36 is a plate 37 having secured thereto a bracket 38 and a cross strap 39 spaced from plate 37 intermediate its ends. A second cross strap 41 extends between the vertical legs of angles 36. Bracket 38 and straps 39 and 41 act as positioning means for a pair of latching bars which extend transversely of these elements.

Bars 40 pivot about the inner ends of adjusting studs 42 threaded through angles 36 and provided with lock nuts 43. Bars 40 are reinforced adjacent their inner ends, as at 44, and the inner ends are apertured to receive a rod 45, the diameter of the apertures being slightly greater than that of rod 45. This rod extends through apertures in angles 36 and its forward end has a pin 46 extending therethrough and pivotally connecting the forward end of the rod to angles 47 on the underside of plate 15. The rear end of rod carries a stop pin 48. It will be noted that rod 45 is anchored against longitudinal movement relative to plate 15 and thus relative to frame 10 also.

A coil spring 50 on red 45 between bars 40 biases the inner ends of the bars apart so that the bars are cocked relative to rod 45 so that the edges of the apertures in the bars bite into rod 45 and thus anchor the rod relative to angles 36. A second coil spring 51 on rod 45 engages forward angle 36 and a pin 52 on the rod to bias angles 36 away from plate 15.

The outer ends of bars 40 bear against opposite sides of a radial lug 53 on the end of the axle S4 of a crank 55 secured in bracket 38. The arm of crank 55 is pivotally connected in a forked bracket 56 on the end of a rod 57 secured by a coupling 58 to a bent rod 60 extending through cross member 27. The rear end of rod 60 has a pin 61 extending therethrough and through a. forked bracket 62 secured to a flattened portion 63 of a cross shaft 65 extending through apertures in rails 25 adjacent the upper edge of back section 24, and through an angle 64 secured to top cross member 28. A light coil spring 66 is connected between pin 61 and an eye 67 secured in cross member 27. Operating handles 70 are secured on the outer ends of shaft 65.

Normally, bars 40 are biased to a position locking rod 45 against movement longitudinally of body 20. To release the latching means, either handle 70 is turned. This pulls bent rod 60 rearward'ly to pull rod 57 in the same direction. As a result, crank 55 is rocked so that lug 53 pushes the outer ends of bars 40 apart. This moves the inner ends of bars 40 toward each other so that the apertures in the bars loosely receive rod 45. Couch body 20 may then be turned about its axis. to a new adjusted position in which it is locked, by rebooking of bars '40 on rod 45, as soo'n'as a'handle-70 is released. 7

Thus, by merely turning either handle 70, the couch body may be readily and easily adjusted to a position inwhich the upper edge of back section 24 is lowered to the level of a hair washing basin, to .a position in'which back section 24 is upright, or to any-position intermediate these two positions. I While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the applioationof the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise ,without'departing from such principles.

e What is claimed: I u e f An adjustable reclining couch comprising, in combination, a supporting frame including elevated tubular side members; a strap interconnecting said side members intermediate their ends; a contoured couch body, shaped .toform a seat section and a back section pivotally supported on said strap for pivotal movement about an 'axis intermediatethe ends of said seat section and .extending transversely of said body in spaced parallel relation to said strap; an elongated rod having one end ,waoamsue pivotally connected to said strap against longitudinal movement relative to the latter and extending longitudinally "of said body through guide means on a body portion spaced a substantial distance rearwardly of said pivotal axis; a pair of bars pivoted intermediate their ends on said body portion between a pair of guide means and each having an aperture, in a corresponding end, somewhat larger than the cross-section of said rod; said rod extending through both apertures; means biasing the other ends of the bars toward each other to cock the bars so that the aperture edges grip said rod; and means at the upper end of said back section selectively operable to relatively separate such other ends of said bars to provide for free passage of said rod through said apertures to adjust the angular relation of said couch body to said supporting flame.

Referencesbited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 941,919 Greilick e Nov. 30, 1909 2,319,743 Morey et a1. May 18, 1943 2,326,183 Urbank Aug. 10, 1943 2,448,860 Collins Sept. 7, 1948 2,530,924 Turner l Nov. 21, 1950 2,606,594 Caldemeyer Aug. 12, 1952 v Kluglein et a]. Feb. 17, 1953 

